Breaking the Code
Christians speak in code. Haven't you noticed? The code varies somewhat, from one denomination to another, and even from one part of the country to another, but the fact remains: the uninitiated often raise their eyebrows as if to say, "what?"
Sometimes, even Bible quotations seem like gibberish when taken out of context, especially to people who are not well-acquainted with God's Word. Hopefully, pastors and teachers explain their references well during the course of their Sunday morning sermons and Bible studies. But that's not really what I'm talking about today.
I'm talking about those catch phrases and made up words that Christians often use to describe doctrinal concepts--short cuts, if you will, that their neighbors in the pew usually understand quite well, because they use the same code. Words like trinity and second coming and rapture come to mind. But even a simple word, like saved, can be a code word. When asked, in all sincerity, "Have you been saved?" I've heard people respond, with equal sincerity, "From what?"
I remember a pastor's wife, from a mainline denomination, who asked me how she should have responded when an acquaintance inquired if she had been born again. This admirable Christian woman didn't understand the code until I reminded her of the Bible story in which Jesus told Nicodemus that "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." (John 3: 3) I encouraged her to respond with a resounding "yes!" because I knew how much she trusted Jesus as her Savior and Lord.
I hate to hear the putdowns that people from one Christian group sometimes direct at other Christians whose beliefs and practice may be somewhat different from their own. Often, the main problem is lack of understanding, rather than difference in basic beliefs. If people from a variety of Christian backgrounds would just sit down and talk with each other, they might find that they have more in common than they think they do. I think that Christian faith boils down to one basic question: "Do you trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior?" Romans 10: 9 says it well: "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Saved from what? Sin.
And that one little word, sin, opens up a whole new line of thought, because many people in our world have no concept of sin. They may know that sin refers to the bad things people do, but they may think it doesn't really apply to them, since they have never done anything "really bad," like stealing or murdering someone. That's when it's time for Christians to become code-breakers. We all know what code breakers do; they turn unfamiliar, nonsensical language into words that can be easily understood.
So, let's choose our words carefully, and be alert to those times when we might need to speak plainly of our need for Jesus, our Savior from sin, and of his great love for all people. Carefully, lovingly, let's break the code!
Sometimes, even Bible quotations seem like gibberish when taken out of context, especially to people who are not well-acquainted with God's Word. Hopefully, pastors and teachers explain their references well during the course of their Sunday morning sermons and Bible studies. But that's not really what I'm talking about today.
I'm talking about those catch phrases and made up words that Christians often use to describe doctrinal concepts--short cuts, if you will, that their neighbors in the pew usually understand quite well, because they use the same code. Words like trinity and second coming and rapture come to mind. But even a simple word, like saved, can be a code word. When asked, in all sincerity, "Have you been saved?" I've heard people respond, with equal sincerity, "From what?"
I remember a pastor's wife, from a mainline denomination, who asked me how she should have responded when an acquaintance inquired if she had been born again. This admirable Christian woman didn't understand the code until I reminded her of the Bible story in which Jesus told Nicodemus that "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." (John 3: 3) I encouraged her to respond with a resounding "yes!" because I knew how much she trusted Jesus as her Savior and Lord.
I hate to hear the putdowns that people from one Christian group sometimes direct at other Christians whose beliefs and practice may be somewhat different from their own. Often, the main problem is lack of understanding, rather than difference in basic beliefs. If people from a variety of Christian backgrounds would just sit down and talk with each other, they might find that they have more in common than they think they do. I think that Christian faith boils down to one basic question: "Do you trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior?" Romans 10: 9 says it well: "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Saved from what? Sin.
And that one little word, sin, opens up a whole new line of thought, because many people in our world have no concept of sin. They may know that sin refers to the bad things people do, but they may think it doesn't really apply to them, since they have never done anything "really bad," like stealing or murdering someone. That's when it's time for Christians to become code-breakers. We all know what code breakers do; they turn unfamiliar, nonsensical language into words that can be easily understood.
So, let's choose our words carefully, and be alert to those times when we might need to speak plainly of our need for Jesus, our Savior from sin, and of his great love for all people. Carefully, lovingly, let's break the code!
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